- India is diversifying away from Russian oil, says US trade representative Jamieson Greer
- Greer said India is a sovereign nation and the US isn't trying to dictate their relations with other countries
- US imposed a total 50% tariffs on India for having trade relations with Russia and also buying their oil
Amid ongoing US efforts to persuade India to scale back its energy trade with Moscow, President Donald Trump's trade representative, Jamieson Greer, has said New Delhi is already taking steps to diversify away from Russian oil.
Speaking at the Economic Club of New York, Greer described India as "pragmatic".
"India is a sovereign country. They control their own decisions. We aren't trying to dictate their relations with other countries. The Indians are pragmatic and I think they're already diversifying away from Russian oil," said Greer to journalist Maria Bartiromo.
"India is a sovereign country. They control their own decisions. We aren't trying to dictate their relations with other countries. The Indians are pragmatic and I think they're already diversifying away from Russian oil," says Trump's Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pic.twitter.com/7uc7eIJ6MA
October 4, 2025Greer's remarks came just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that US attempts to pressure India and China into curbing ties with Russia could economically backfire.
Addressing the Valdai discussion forum in southern Russia, Putin cautioned that India would lose out if it refused Russian energy supplies. "If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer a certain loss… people in India will never allow any humiliation in front of anyone," he said, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Trump's administration imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports in August 2025, plus additional penalties for Russian oil purchases, aiming to pressure nations to isolate Russia amid the Ukraine conflict, as confirmed by recent US-India trade talks.
No Sanctions on Russian Crude Oil
Last month, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said that there are no sanctions on the purchase of Russian crude oil, and the world will face serious consequences if the supplies are disrupted.
The comments have come against the backdrop of the US imposing punitive duties of 25% on India, in addition to 25% tariffs, for purchasing crude oil and arms from Russia. Speaking with reporters, Puri had said that Russia is the second-largest supplier of crude globally at nearly 10 million barrels a day, and warned that the world will face serious consequences if supplies are disrupted.
This is the reason why the world is not imposing sanctions on Russian oil, the career diplomat-turned-politician said. He also stated that many countries, including Turkey, Japan, and the European Union, purchase oil from Russia.
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